"You Ought To Be Paid For Doing All This" - Do Rootschatters Often Get Asked?

[Shaztoni]

I totally agree, nothing more satisfying than solving that puzzle even if it isn't your own. 

Sharon

[jericho]

I totally agree that there is nothing more satisfying about researching someone else family and giving them information that is new to them, although its quiet easy to want to add more and more information, and as this hobby is so addictive I sometimes find myself going beyond what they asked for, particularly if I'm experiencing a lull in my own research.

[suey]

Keith, I am still amazed that there are Rootschatters who will willingly and for nothing go out of their way to trawl records offices, graveyards, etc etc simply for the love of it, and thank goodness for them I say...I think we are all aware that sooner or later this hobby/obsession call it what you will is going to cost us money.

I've managed to clock up 1,000 posts, goodness knows how cos I'm not a genealogist by any streach of the imagination but I will answer a question or do a look up and I get a lot of satisfaction from doing it, it's good fun too and I am repaying past kindnesses.

But is'nt that the whole point of a site like Rootschat - how do you find and pay someone to answer questions like, what is a Cordwainer?, can you read this name?, just look at the post on Beginners Board titled London Soho 1869, or the one running on Common Room now 'an interesting story' - priceless!

I think once you become a paid researcher it takes you into a different dimension...

Suey

[moscan]

I couldn't agree more, the hunt is so much fun.... being able to help someone else gives me as much pleasure as finding stuff out about my own missing reles...

I love the trawling through disc's... the indexes... the maps... just on the off chance I might fill in a gap... my family says its because I am so nosy    that I love my research whether its for me or someone else...

My christmas list is another county census discs... I actually don't have connections but I can then use it to maybe help someone else and one day I may have the lot !!!

I have been offered money to do research but I doubt if I would ever take it... I get too much fun out of my corpse hunting

Merry Christmas to all and thanks to my fellow Rootschatters... they make my life so much fun


Best wishes

Mo

[Keith Bateman]

Hi,

I agree with all that has been said - what a GREAT site this is - when I started just over a year ago - I thought "What is the point of paying for a census record" - I have all the information on my family of 10 people!!

If it hadn't been for all the help I have been given I wouldn't have realised what a large family I have - and now have bought a subscription so I can add a few more names - but really so I can give something back to newer members on here. Have just been to the Shropshire Archives doing some lookups there - and as I am the first person in our family to live in Shropshire  no useful information for me!

Everyone knows something useful for other researchers - from photo dating to reading old writing - so all of you keep up the Marvelous work

Happy Christmas to you all

Keith

[Jane Eden]

Hi again

I think it all comes down to attitude and personality. Most Rootschatters seem to find the site to do their own research but then get pulled in by the ethos of the site. They start doing look ups for others and offering advice.

A few make a big entrance with lots of posts and activity on their own research upon which they are totally focused, may join in the lighter side etc and then disappear when they have a much as they can gain for themselves.

I am not judging either, it is purely observation and personality type and is supported by the statistics on Rootschat. It happens in all walks of life. 

Jane

[Keith Sherwood]

I really am hugely relieved and content to be able to read all these in-the-same-vein positive, enthusiastic responses to my initial post here.
Long live Rootschat...!

[alllegs]

My friends and family think I'm mad, I live in Sussex and have just driven to Derby and back in 3 days to take grave photo's for people on Rootschat and to photograph war graves (WGMP - for the 90th anniversary next year).  I get more upset if I can't find the info for other people than I do if I can't find what I want!  I've been known to randomly knock on doors to ask genealogy/war grave related questions - I spent most of Thursday with locals at Tissington, Derbys searching for mysterious war graves - apparently I brightened their day!
I've even been tempted to search the relevant yellow pages and visit people with the same surname in villages where mine and others (usually people abroad) ancestors used to live just to see if there is a connection.  Although I've been banned from this by mum and a cousin as they don't think it's safe (ditzy blonde 24 year old wandering random streets!)

Hey ho - they things we do for our obsessions!  Really need to forget all this and do some Christmas shopping and university assignments, but this is so much more fun!!

Merry Christmas to everyone.
Lotsa festive love
Legs
xxx